Methods and Systems for Parcel One Pass Labeling and Sorting for Presort Qualification

1. A method for parcel one pass labeling and sorting for presort qualification, the method comprising: providing one or more sub-groups of parcel pieces, wherein each parcel piece of a same sub-group of the one or more sub-groups has a substantially identical contents, size, and weight, wherein each parcel piece of a same sub-group of the one or more sub-groups is devoid of delivery address data printed on an outside thereof, and wherein each parcel piece of a same sub-group of the one or more sub-groups is configured to be sorted and combined, along with parcel pieces from other sub-groups of the one or more sub-groups, to form a single mailing; loading each parcel piece of a sub-group of the one or more sub-groups onto a conveyor; presorting an address list, which comprises a certified address for each parcel piece of all of the one or more sub-groups forming the single mailing in accordance with postal standards required for discount postage rates; displaying, by a display unit, a group type indicator and a status indicator of a first sub-group of the one or more sub-groups to be sorted; applying, by a label applicator, a label containing pre-sorted address data for the first sub-group being processed onto each parcel piece of the first sub-group; sorting, based on a sort scheme defined for all sub-groups that make up the mailing, the parcel pieces of the first sub-group; depositing the parcel pieces of the first sub-group into one of one or more sort bins; and repeating steps of applying labels to, sorting, and depositing parcel pieces of additional sub-groups of the one or more sub-groups in accordance with instructions on the display unit until each of the one or more sub-groups has been processed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the label onto each of the parcel pieces of the one or more sub-groups comprises printing and applying one or more addressed shipping labels on top of one or more shipping documents, the one or more shipping documents comprising an invoice, an advertisement coupon, an order form, and/or a return label.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the label onto each of the parcel pieces of the one or more sub-groups comprises dynamically printing and applying one or more labels of different sizes on different parcel pieces.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: detecting, by a barcode reader, a parcel identification (ID) barcode disposed on each parcel piece in the one or more sub-groups of parcel pieces; and verifying a correct parcel is being sorted.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: transporting the parcel pieces of the one or more sub-groups along a direction of travel on the conveyor; ensuring sufficient spacing between each parcel piece of the one or more sub-groups using one or more gap control conveyors; and justifying each parcel piece of the one or more sub-groups to one side of the conveyor using one or more edge justifiers.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying one or more presort destinations to sort the parcel pieces of the one or more sub-groups.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the at least one presort destination comprises NDC/AFS, ADC, a three digit scheme, three digits, a five digit scheme, five digits, and/or any combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising removing a respective sort bin associated with a presort destination after all parcel pieces designating the presort destination for any of the plurality of sub-groups have been processed, but before all parcel pieces of all of the plurality of sub-groups have been processed.

9. A method for dynamic bin allocation in a one pass labeling and sorting system, the method comprising: providing one or more sub-groups of parcel pieces, wherein each parcel piece of a same sub-group of the one or more sub-groups has a substantially identical contents, size, and weight, wherein each parcel piece of a same sub-group of the one or more sub-groups is devoid of delivery address data printed on an outside thereof, and wherein each parcel piece of a same sub-group of the one or more sub-groups is configured to be sorted and combined, along with parcel pieces from other sub-groups of the one or more sub-groups, to form a single mailing; presorting an address list, which comprises a certified address for each parcel piece of all of the one or more sub-groups forming the single mailing, in accordance with postal standards required for discount postage rates; providing a one pass labeling and sorting system comprising: a conveyor; a display unit configured to display a group type indicator and a status indicator of the one or more sub-groups to be sorted; label applicator configured to apply one or more labels containing pre-sorted address data onto the parcel pieces of the one or more sub-groups; and a sort scheme defined for all sub-groups that make up the mailing, wherein the parcel pieces of each of the one or more sub-groups are sorted and deposited into a corresponding sort bin of the one or more sort bins according to the sort scheme, wherein the one pass labeling and sorting system is configured to repeating steps of applying labels to, sorting, and depositing parcel pieces of additional sub-groups of the one or more sub-groups in accordance with instructions on the display unit until each of the one or more sub-groups has been processed; and dynamically allocating, based on the sort scheme, the parcel pieces of the one or more sub-groups to at least one of the one or more sort bins.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein dynamically allocating the parcel pieces of the one or more sub-groups to at least one of the one or more sort bins comprises using a dynamic control based on a number of the one or more sort bins and/or a number of overflow sort bins.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein a single sub-group of the one or more sub-groups is used for dynamically allocating the parcel pieces.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising assigning at least one sort bin of the one or more sort bins to at least one presort destination and sorting the parcel pieces of the one of the one or more sub-groups having a same presort destination as the at least one sort bin into the at least one sort bin assigned to the at least one presort destination.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one presort destination comprises NDC/AFS, ADC, a three digit scheme, three digits, a five digit scheme, five digits, and/or any combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein dynamically allocating the parcel pieces of one of the one or more sub-groups to the at least one sort bin comprises assigning primary and secondary sort bins of the one or more sort bins to the at least one presort destination group, the method further comprising switching between the primary and secondary sort bins after detecting that the primary or the secondary bin is filled.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one presort destination comprises a plurality of presort destinations, and wherein dynamically allocating the parcel pieces of the one or more sub-groups to at least one of the one or more sort bins comprises dynamically allocating sort bins to a new presort destination of the plurality of presort destinations based on the sort scheme and which of the plurality of presort destinations have been processed and which of the plurality of presort destinations have not been processed.

16. The method of claim 9 , comprising removing a respective sort bin associated with a presort destination after all parcel pieces designating the presort destination for any of the plurality of sub-groups have been processed, but before all parcel pieces of all of the plurality of sub-groups have been processed.